Chapter 16

16

MERRITT

I didn’t really have any clothes for a nice dinner out, although I didn’t think that was really a requirement. I wasn’t putting on a fancy dress and then getting on the back of his motorcycle. Besides, the whole idea of going out to dinner to celebrate the fact I had a sex dream starring Kannon was pretty silly.

All day he’d been giving me stupid looks and waggling his brows at me. I knew what he was thinking. Hell, it wasn’t like I had to guess. He told me.

He asked quiet questions about positions and whether or not I screamed. I wanted to be pissed at him, but it kept making me giggle. It was my own fault for having the stupid dream in the first place.

Now, I had to figure out what to wear to dinner. I knew I could say no. It wasn’t like he was actually forcing me to go to dinner. But part of me was thrilled at the possibilities.

I had brought exactly one dress to Dallas with me. My funeral dress. I didn’t think that was really appropriate for a so-called celebration dinner. Especially considering the occasion we were celebrating. That was just weird.

Honestly, I didn’t think I would ever wear the dress again. It would forever be my funeral dress. The dress I wore to give my father his final goodbye.

Instead, I decided my nice black jeans, pink sweater, and the heels I wore to the funeral would have to do. But then I remembered he told me we were going on his motorcycle. I didn’t trust myself not to lose a heel while he was speeding down the road with me clinging to his back. Knowing Kannon, it wouldn’t be a super nice restaurant.

In this situation, I hoped it wasn’t. I wasn’t dressed for it. I left my hair down, blowing it out after my shower. I took the time to put on some makeup but not too much. I didn’t want him thinking I was trying to make my sex dream come true. Sex with Kannon would be a mistake. The only sex we were going to be having was in my dreams. And maybe his.

I heard the roar of his motorcycle coming down the road. I shook my head. None of my friends back in Miami would believe me if I told them I had been riding around on the back of a Harley. Lucia and Dominique would but they had seen Kannon. They understood the appeal. He was a hard man to simply ignore. There was something about him I couldn’t resist. I knew I should, but he was a bad habit I didn’t want to break.

I grabbed my jacket and walked to the front door. He pulled up, dust swirling around the tires like some kind of rock star entrance. I couldn’t help but roll my eyes. He killed the engine and swung his leg over the bike, his grin equally annoying and infectious. “Ready for the best non-date of your life?”

“I thought it was a celebration dinner?”

“Same thing,” he said with a shrug.

I shut the door behind me and locked it. He watched me walk toward him. Maybe I swung my hips a little more than usual. With him looking at me like that, how could I not? I felt like I was on a runway. He openly ogled me and I didn’t mind.

He handed me a helmet with a smirk. “Here’s your crown, princess.”

Reluctantly, I slipped it on, securing the strap under my chin while he watched, obviously amused by my lack of enthusiasm. As I climbed onto the back of the motorcycle, I couldn’t ignore the excitement that tingled through me. There was something inherently thrilling about the roar of the engine and the open road.

I wasn’t going to go out and buy my own, but I didn’t mind sitting behind Kannon. Actually, I really liked sitting behind him and having a good excuse to run my hands over his chest.

Kannon revved the engine, and we were off. The wind raced past us, tugging at my clothes and whipping my hair back from my face, despite the helmet. I tightened my arms around Kannon’s waist, the proximity comforting amid the rush of speed.

When he pulled the bike into a parking lot filled with beat up trucks and a few motorcycles, I was a little confused. I knew of the place. But it was a bar. Not a restaurant. And it wasn’t even a good bar.

He cut the engine, and I realized this was where we were going.

The building hadn’t changed much since high school. It was equal parts nostalgia and a reminder of how much time had passed since we’d been those two kids with nothing but wild dreams and half-formed plans.

I thought for sure he was joking. Maybe he was just dropping something off.

I slid off the back of the bike, pulling the helmet off and smoothing my hair. He grinned at me like he’d just delivered me to a five-star establishment. “You ready?” he asked.

“For what?”

“Dinner with old friends,” he said.

“You want to take me to dinner at a rundown bar,” I said, making sure I understood exactly what was happening.

“Scared?”

“Of food poisoning, yes. Getting tetanus, absolutely. Catching fleas, almost certainly.”

He laughed. “Don’t knock it till you try it. Don’t tell me you don’t like a good greasy dinner.”

“There’s a greasy dinner and then there’s,” I waved at the building, “this. Do they even serve food here?”

“Best hot wings and nachos in Dallas.”

“I guess the better question is are they legally allowed to sell food?” I asked.

He rolled his eyes. “Get the stick out of your ass. We’re celebrating.”

“Ah yes, the sex dream. Nothing says celebration like a bar that’s older than dirt.”

He laughed and draped an arm around my shoulders. I didn’t try and brush him off. We walked inside the dark bar. I had been here once or twice with my father back in the day. The owner back then wasn’t real particular about kids being in the bar, as long as we weren’t drinking and didn’t rat him out.

The smell of greasy burgers and beer hung heavy in the air. It was exactly the kind of place I expected Kannon to frequent. He guided me toward the long L-shaped bar. His hand moved to my lower back. “This is my spot,” he said pointing to a stool. “You can sit beside me.”

“Oh gee, I’m honored.”

The man behind the bar raised an eyebrow at Kannon. “You’re bringing a woman to the bar?” he asked.

I didn’t miss the emphasis on the word to . Clearly, Kannon was a regular if he had his very own stool. I imagined this was quite the pickup spot. Just how many women had ridden on the back of his bike?

“Riggs, this is Merritt, Gary’s daughter,” Kannon said. “I thought I’d bring her somewhere she could appreciate real culture for a change.”

“And you brought her here ?” Riggs chuckled. “It’s nice to meet you, Merritt. I’m sorry about your father. Gary was a good dude.”

“Thank you,” I said with a sad smile.

“What’ll it be?” Riggs asked.

“A margarita,” I said, glancing at Kannon. “And don’t you dare let him order for me.”

Kannon smirked. “You heard the lady.”

As Riggs busied himself with my drink, the familiar faces started rolling in. People from high school, old neighbors, even a couple of former coworkers from my first summer job stopped by to say hello. It was nice to see them—mostly. I did my best to be friendly, but part of me wished it could have just been me and Kannon tonight.

I wasn’t sure why. Maybe it was the dream and the way my body had been betraying me ever since. I was feeling a little possessive. I wanted him all to myself. With the way people were swarming, it was like Kannon was a celebrity. Again, jealousy was clawing at the back of my mind.

I had zero right to feel that way about him. Kannon and I had never been like that, not even close. Sure, there was a time when I thought I wanted that, but it wasn’t a good idea then and it wasn’t a better idea now. He would have been every bad decision wrapped up in one dangerously good-looking package. And from the way he used to look at me back then, I was pretty sure he felt the same. But we had never acted on it. Life had pulled us in different directions, and I convinced myself it was for the best.

Still, sitting beside him right then, laughing at old stories and watching him charm everyone around him, I couldn’t help but wonder what might’ve been. What if we had given in to temptation? I knew what would have happened. We would have fizzled out and probably never spoken to each other again.

Riggs delivered my margarita, clearly very proud of himself. I took a sip. “This is good,” I admitted. The glass even looked clean.

“Damn right it is,” Riggs said, puffing out his chest. “What’ll you have for dinner?”

There wasn’t a menu, which probably meant the offerings were exactly what I saw written on the chalkboard. “Cheeseburger,” I said.

Kannon held up two fingers. “Make it two.”

“Coming right up.”

A woman sauntered over. I saw the way she checked me out. She was probably trying to figure out why a guy like Kannon was with a girl like me. I sipped my margarita and tried not to break the glass over her head. I wasn’t jealous, of course. I just didn’t like judgmental people. And I wasn’t mad at Kannon. Obviously, he had lived his life the last ten years.

I didn’t know about him, but I hadn’t been in a serious relationship at all. Ever. I focused on my degree and my career instead. I’d had a few relationships but none of them had lasted more than six months, and all of them were with men I wouldn’t lose as a friend if they didn’t work out.

That was what had always stopped me and Kannon. I didn’t want to risk losing him. Oddly enough, I basically did lose him. We lost touch. He used to be my everything and then I moved away and we never spoke again.

It wasn’t long before we were delivered two massive burgers with a side of steak fries.

“Wow,” I said. “I was thinking this was going to be mediocre bar food.”

Riggs chuckled and shrugged. “Taste it first. Then give me your honest opinion.”

I took a tentative bite, bracing myself, but the flavor had me groaning in delight. “I’m in love.”

“Relax,” Kannon said with a laugh. “Anyone can make a burger. You don’t need to oversell it.”

“Now, now,” Riggs said, beaming. “Let the woman talk.”

“I am pleasantly surprised,” I said. “It might clog my arteries but all that grease and cheese is hitting the spot.”

Riggs grinned. “I like your new friend, Kannon. Treat her right or I will.”

Kannon scowled at the man as he walked away. “The guy makes one decent meal and he’s floating on cloud nine,” he muttered.

I smiled and nudged him with my elbow. “Relax, caveman, and eat. I’m going to be halfway through before you even start.”

Kannon took a bite and chewed grumpily. “I guess it’s alright.”

“You’re the one who brought me here to eat,” I said and popped a fry into my mouth. “Did you expect roadkill burgers or something?”

Kannon burst out laughing, the sound sent a pleasant shiver down my spine. “You never know with Riggs.”

“Hey!” Riggs protested from down the bar. “I’ve never served roadkill. Not on purpose anyway.”

We got another round of drinks as we ate. The outside of the bar screamed shithole but it was clear Riggs took pride in the food and drinks, which was mostly what mattered.

As the evening wore on, people came and went, and eventually, it was just me and Kannon, alone at a dartboard in the corner. I hadn’t played darts in years, but muscle memory took over quickly. It didn’t take long to realize I was better than him. Much better.

“You’ve got to be cheating,” he grumbled, narrowing his eyes at me as I nailed another bullseye.

“Cheating? Please.” I twirled a dart between my fingers, savoring the way his frustration only made my victory sweeter. “All skill, baby.”

“Did you major in darts in college or something?” He shook his head in disbelief.

“You’re surprisingly close to right,” I said, nodding. “Our favorite dive bar had dartboards and we got pretty good at it.”

“I knew it wasn’t beginner’s luck,” he said, stepping closer.

“Should I have gone easy on you?” I smirked as I nailed the final bullseye to win the game.

He slumped into a seat, watching me with an intensity that made my pulse quicken. His gaze was slow and deliberate, trailing from my face down to my legs and back up again. It reminded me too much of my dream—the way he’d looked at me like he wanted to devour me. My stomach flipped, and suddenly the room felt too warm.

All I could think about was that damn dream. His lips looked impossibly soft. The way he watched me, like he was daring me to make the first move, only made it harder to think straight.

He stood abruptly, breaking the spell. “Come on,” he said. “Let’s get you home, champ.”

The cool wind did little to cool the fire simmering in my veins. I clung to him, my arms wrapped tightly around his waist, and tried to ignore the way his body felt beneath my hands. Strong, solid, and all too tempting.

This could not happen. Period.